Meet Dean Laurie McCauley2 min read
Dr. Laurie McCauley, DDS, MS, PhD, is the 14th dean of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and the first woman to hold this important post. A native of Ohio and an OSU graduate, Dean McCauley has been “true Blue” since joining the U-M School of Dentistry faculty in 1992.
McCauley earned her professional degrees from The Ohio State University — a Doctor of Dental Surgery (1985); a Master of Science in dentistry (1988); and a PhD in veterinary pathobiology (1991).
She built her academic career on a foundation of clinical teaching, clinical practice and scientific inquiry and has risen through the academic ranks to the position of full professor in both the School of Dentistry and the Department of Pathology at the U-M Medical School.
In 2002 she was named the William K. and Mary Ann Najjar Professor of Periodontics, the same year she became department chair of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, a post she held for 10 years.
A seasoned academic administrator, McCauley brings a unique blend of clinical experience, classroom leadership, research achievement, and administrative success to the position. She continues to see patients in the School’s faculty practice and work in her research lab as time permits.
The recipient of numerous awards and honors, she was named a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2007) and recognized with the Basic Research in Biological Mineralization Award from the International Association for Dental Research (2011), the William J. Gies Award from the American Dental Education Association (2010), and the Paula Stern Achievement Award from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2010).
The School is fortunate to be able to pass the baton to such a gifted educator, clinician, and researcher and to someone who is a strategic thinker, is detail oriented, and seeks ideas and opinions from others. She will be busy in the coming months meeting with alums and colleagues in many of the dental societies and study clubs around the state and looks forward to meeting you.